Yarn feed apparatus for pile carpet machine

ABSTRACT

Clutch drive for the yarn feed rolls of a carpet machine which can be readily adjusted while the machine is in operation.

1J11i1e States Patent 11 1' Fay Jan. 15, 1974 [5 YARN FEED APPARATUS FOR PTLE 3,067,918 12/1962 Peterson 226/156 CARPET C N 2,652,616 9/1953 Knott 226/156 2,756,994 7/1956 Wiig 226/142 [7 Inventor: Robert y, p n g, 3,650,449 3 1972 Mundus 226 142 3,657,052 4/1972 Debonnet 156/72 [73] Asslgnee' Dee'mg M Research 3,127,293 3/1964 Trenteseaux 156/72 Corporation, Spartanburg, SC.

[22] Filed: Mar. 27, 1972 Primary Examiner-Daniel J. Fritsch [2]] Appl' 238490 Attorney-H. William Petry et a1.

[52] 11.8. C1 156/435, 156/436, 156/543, 226/142, 226/156 51 1m. (:1 D0411 11/04 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 156/72, 176, 178, 1

156/179, 435, 436, 543; 226/142, 156 Clutch drive for the yarn feed rolls of a carpet machine which can be readily adjusted while the machine [56] References Cited is in operation.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,154 5/1939 Kellogg et a1 156/435 1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PAIEMEUJAN 1 51974 SHEET 1 0F 4 Jessa PAIEMH} JAN 1 51974 YARN FEED APPARATUS FOR PILE CARPET MACHINE This application relates to a process and apparatus for manufacturing fabrics with non-woven pile such as carpets or velvets, according to which one coats, on one side only, two continuous support bands with a layer of adhesive; one displaces these support bands in a passage in which they lie practically parallel to one another at a predetermined distance from one another in such a way that the adhesive layer carried by one of the support bands faces that carried by the other support band; one drives at least one continuous element in the form of a thread or band by folder blades, alternately against the adhesive layers carried by the support bands when they are displaced at the entrance to the above-mentioned passage or in the neighborhood thereof, in such a way as to apply the continuous element alternatively against these adhesive layers and to fold it zig-zag; one ensures the hold by at least one of the adhesive layers and one then separates the support bands from one another.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a process and apparatus which economically and efficiently manufactures a non-woven pile fabric.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent as the specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation view of the new and improved apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a left hand elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3-5 illustrate the operation of the folding blades;

FIG. 6 is a blown-up view of the yarn feed drive control mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a top view control lever shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modification thereof.

Looking now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the basic operation of the apparatus will be explained. Carpet yarn 10 is supplied from a yarn source (not shown) over and around guide rolls l2 and 14 and down to the vertical guides 16 through a reed bar which maintains the separate warp ends spaced from one another. Carpet backing 17 is supplied from rolls 18 into position between the guides 16. During the path of travel from the rolls to the guides 16 an adhesive is applied to the top surface of the carpet backing 17 to secure yarn placed thereagainst by the folding blades 20 and 22. As the yarn l0 enters between the vertical guides 16 the folding blades 20 and 22 alternately displace the yarn in a zig-zag fashion into one or the other of the carpet backing sheets 17 as the carpet backing is being drawn downwardly. Then the carpet backing with the yarn therebetween is heated to cure the adhesive to form a good bond between the backing l7 and the yarn 10. Then the yarn 10 is severed in the middle of the backing sheets 17 by any suitable means to provide, simultaneously, two sheets of carpet.

The folding of the yarn 10 in zig-zag fashion is basi cally accomplished by the following blades 20 and 22 and the pivotally mounted bladelets 24 and 26. Folding blades 20 and 22 are mounted, respectively, to connecting rods 28 and 30. Connecting rod 28 is pivotally connected to pivot shafts 32 and 34 and connecting rod 30 is pivotally connected to pivot shafts 36 and 38 through suitable links 40. The shafts 32 and 38 are oscillated by the oscillating crank arm mechanism 42 and 44 driven by the main drive shafts 46 and 48. The main drive shafts 46 and 48 are driven through a chain member 50 driven by a sprocket (not shown) on the stub shaft 52 which is in turn driven by a belt 54 connected to the main drive motor (not shown). It should be noted that the blade 20 is out of phase with the blade 22 so that when the blade 22 is being pivoted inwardly as shown in FIG. I the blade 20 is being pivoted outwardly and vice versa.

The bladelets 24 and 26 are elongated blades pivotally mounted at 56 and 58, respectively, under the folding blades 20 and 22. The bladelets 24 and 26 are spring loaded downwardly and are periodically allowed to move downwardly when the levers 60 and 61 mounted on shafts 62 are rotated upwardly as shown on the right hand side of FIG. 1. Rotation of the shafts 62 is controlled by cams 64 and 66 which cause levers 68 and 70 to move, respectively, connecting rods 72 and 74, to move either lever 60 or 61 depending on the position of the earns 64 and 66. It should be noted that the right hand cam (FIG. 1) controls the movement of the left hand bladelet 24 and the left hand cam controls the movement of the right hand bladelet 22. Spring member 76 is employed to return the respective lever 60 or 61 to the down position when the controlling cam is in the dwell position.

As discussed previously the folding blades operate out of phase with one another to provide the zigzag configuration of the yarn between the carpet backing sheets 16. In FIG. 3 folding blade 20 is being pivoted to its extreme in position where it will press the yarn into the adhesive on the carpet backing while folding blade 22 is being pivoted to its extreme out position. At the same time bladelet 24 is pivoted to its down position bearing on the yarn 10 while bladelet 26 is pivoting forward to start to pre-fold the yarn 10 for the formation of the next loop. In FIG. 4 the blade 20 is now being pivoted away from the yarn embedded in the adhesive and the blade 22 is being pivoted forward to contact the yarn 10 above the bladelet 26. At the same time the bladelet 24 is being pivoted out of the way while bladelet 26 is being pivoted downwardly to complete the pre-fold in the yarn. Then the blade 22 continues forward as in FIG. 5 to place the pre-folded yarn 10 into the adhesive on the opposite carpet backing as the blade 20 is pivoted to its rear position. At the same time bladelet 24 is pivoting downwardly to the pre-fold position for the next successive loop while the other bladelet is down on top of the previously formed loop. Then in zig-zag fashion the folding blades and bladelets repeat the above operation to form loops on one carpet backing 18 and then on the other.

The feed of yarn 10 to the blades 20 and 22 is controlled by a ratchet 78 and pawl 80 which is indexed through levers 82, 84 and 86 connected to sprocket shaft 88 which is rotated by chain belt 50 driving sprocket 92 connected thereto.

FIGS. 6-9 show a modification of the ratchet 76 and pawl 80 yarn feed apparatus. The basic modification is the substitution of a one-way clutch 94 for the ratchet 78. The clutch 94 is actuated by the angle arm 96 attached thereto which is pivoted by the pull rod 64 connected to the slide block 98. The slide block 98 is operably associated with a screw member 100 which can be adjusted at the upper left end 102 to adjust the position of the block 98 to vary the amount of yarn feed by varying the amount of rotation of the clutch 94. The clutch 94 upon rotation causes the chain 104 to be rotated to rotate the rolls 12 and 14 to advance the yarn 10. Connected to the other side of the chain 104 is another one-way clutch 105 to act as a hold back for the chain 104. Connected to the upper chain drive sprocket 106 is a manual clutch 108 with actuation lever l to manually disengage the drive to the rolls 12 and 14 to stop the yarn feed. This modification provides for infinite adjustment of the yarn feed while the machine is in motion.

Although I have described in detail the preferred emmeans to supply two adhesive coated backing sheets into opposed relationship, a pair of folding blades, means to supply a plurality of yarns between said folding blades and means operably associated with said folding blades to alternately cause said folding blades to place yarn into the adhesive on one of said backing sheets and then into the other, said means for supplying a plurality of yarns including a yarn feed roll, means to drive said yarn feed roll, a one-way clutch operably associated with said means to drive said yarn feed roll, a first lever arm connected to said one-way clutch, a screw member mounted on said first lever arm, a block member slidably mounted on said first lever arm and operably associated with said screw member, a drive means operably associated with said apparatus, a second lever arm pivotally connected with said block member at one end and operably associated with said drive means at the other end and means operably associated with said screw member to slide said block member to vary the amount of rotation of said yarn feed roll. 1=

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIN I Batent N0. 3, 785, 906 Dated January 15, 1974 lnventor(s) Robert C. Fay

5 Itis certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatjsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

The title should read --YARN FEED APPARATUS" instead of "YARN FEED APPARATUS FOR PILE CARPET MACHINE In column '1, one line 65, "following" should be deleted and -folding--- substituted therefor.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) Y Attest:

MCCOY M.,. GIBSON JR. 2.. MARSE LALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 6037 6-P6Q FORM Po-1os0 (10-69) \i' U. 57 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1565 0--36G884, 

1. Apparatus to produce a bonded fabric comprising: means to supply two adhesive coated backing sheets into opposed relationship, a pair of folding blades, means to supply a plurality of yarns between said folding blades and means operably associated with said folding blades to alternately cause said folding blades to place yarn into the adhesive on one of said backing sheets and then into the other, said means for supplying a plurality of yarns including a yarn feed roll, means to drive said yarn feed roll, a one-way clutch operably associated with said means to drive said yarn feed roll, a first lever arm connected to said one-way clutch, a screw member mounted on said first lever arm, a block member slidably mounted on said first lever arm and operably associated with said screw member, a drive means operably associated with said apparatus, a second lever arm pivotally connected with said block member at one end and operably associated with said drive means at the other end and means operably associated with said screw member to slide said block member to vary the amount of rotation of said yarn feed roll. 